It's 1921, the European continent is suffering the upheaval and consequences of World War I. The post war climate was especially dangerous for minority populations, who were blamed for the excesses of those in power whose greed and lust were responsible for the devastation they had wrought. In this chaos, two fifteen-year-old boys, one emigrating from Berlin with his family, and the other making the journey on his own from a shtetl in the Russian Pale, meet while boarding the boat to America. The only thing they have in common is their Jewish religion and their hope for a better life for themselves and their families. This is the story of Israel Shapiro and David Goodman, neither of whom spoke a word of English when they stepped off the boat at Ellis Island, and how, with determination, hard work, intelligence, and chutzpa, and the help of a black man who shined shoes, built a multi-million dollar enterprise in the span of their lifetimes. 'The Lantzmen' is really about the American dream. A place where immigrants and a marginalized minority population were given the opportunity and freedom to overcome the obstacles of prejudice and ignorance and make their mark. Once upon a time in America, this was possible, and we hope it will be again.
